Geoffrey Dever once slept on trains to stay safe and out of the weather. He lost his pride and fell into a shell, struggling with drugs, alcohol, and mental illness for over 30 years. After losing his job in construction, he found himself homeless in Hamilton, where familiar faces turned away in shame.
Dever's story is one of many highlighted by Soul Hub, a Hunter homelessness outreach organization. On Wednesday evening, Soul Hub lit 911 candles at Foreshore Park, one for each person the charity sees on average per month. The installation symbolized the charity's work to bring the invisible homeless population back into the light.
General manager Matt Ortiger said the Hunter's most vulnerable have fallen through the cracks, often due to circumstances beyond their control. The number of people experiencing homelessness is growing, driven by housing stress and rising costs. Soul Hub has seen an increase of about 84 more meals per week in the past year.
Ortiger noted that official statistics likely undercount the homeless population, as some sleep in brightly lit areas for safety while others hide. Soul Hub's medical clinic saw over 850 patients in the past year, a third of whom had slept rough the previous night.
Dever eventually reached out for help and found support through Soul Hub. He now works to rebuild his life, acknowledging the grief and loss that led him down a difficult path. 'You have to reach out and get help,' he said.
